A Hands On Introduction To Electronics

We have created a seminar subject (primarily for freshmen) that gives a hands-on introduction to electronics. Initially, the test instruments are limited to a voltmeter and LEDs used to indicate the presence and direction of current in a circuit. Concepts presented this way include voltage dividers, bridge rectifiers and RC charge/discharge. Then, we introduce the function generator and oscilloscope as tools for viewing frequencies too fast to view by the unaided eye. The middle section of the subject is spent building and testing circuits, and observing how their performance can be tailored by changing the values of select components. These experiments are followed by in-class discussion to solidify understanding, with additional explanatory material presented as needed. Active components are covered in a "black-box" fashion, along with discussion of how to read data sheets. Devices covered include transistor switches, comparators, operational amplifiers and elementary timing circuits. Most experiments include indicators, sensors, and/or actuators (e.g., solenoids and motors). The subject concludes with a service-learning design project applying the material learned. A recent example involved adding a solid-state on/off timer to electronic toys used to teach autistic children. We believe that this approach helps students gain an intuitive understanding of current and voltage, as well as giving them the satisfaction of immediately visible results. Our expectation is that some of our students will continue building and hacking circuits on their own, and will encounter situations where the simple rules they know fail. Some of these students (we believe) will be motivated to enroll in more advanced courses to learn the more detailed theory required to make more complex circuits work.